Why some programs for gifted students produce more and better studies than others? A comparative study of two such programs

Year 2024, Volume: 11 Issue: 4, 147 - 160

Hanna David

Abstract

This research article compares between two of the longest programs intended to nurture gifted children: Terman's genetic studies of genius, which started in 1921, and included 1528 children, and took about 70 years, and the Erika Landau institute in Tel Aviv, which opened in 1969, and is still functioning, with about 800 new children aged 5-14 taking part in its course every year. The study deal with the question of research done in each of these projects, along with the main purpose which is the well-being of the participants and their fulfilling their potential. It looks for the reasons of a high productivity in terms of publications of the Terman study versus the comparatively much lesser written materials that the Erika Landau has produced over the years. As expected, multiple reasons have contributed to this difference, among them were the different personality of the founders, the focus of work at each project, and mainly the cooperative work of very many staff member and the appointing an heir, a successor in each new generation for continuing the research on the Terman children, while the centrality of the late Dr. Landau, that has prevented the possibility of a continuous research in the institute.

Keywords

giftedness, gifted education, comparative study, the terman study, the Erika Landau institute

Ethical Statement

no ethical problems

Project Number

-------------

References

• Aderet, O. (a) (August 6, 2013). Erika Landau, an educator who stressed learning through emotion, dies. Retrieved from https://www.haaretz.com/2013-08-06/ty-article/israeli-educator-erika-landau-dies/0000017f-e264-d7b2-a77f-e36764e10000
• Aderet, O. (b) (August 11, 2013). Leveraging Holocaust Guilt into Meaning. https://www.haaretz.com/2013-08-11/ty-article/.premium/leveraging-survivor-guilt-into-meaning/0000017f-dec2-df62-a9ff-ded7b3f80000
• Bachur-Nir, D. (December 15, 2011). When my father saw a Nazi soldier hitting me, he said: "when you see your daughter is beaten, it feels as if knives are inserted into your whole body" (in Hebrew). Retrieved from https://www.calcalist.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-3555191,00.html
• Beauvais, C. (2016). Californian Genius Lewis Terman's Gifted Child in Regional Perspective. Paedagogica Historica, 52(6), 748-765. https://doi.org/10.1080/00309230.2016.1243138
• Benbow, C. P., & Stanley, J. C. (1980). Sex differences in mathematical ability: Fact or artifact? Science, 210(4475), 1262–1264. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.7434028
• Brooks, D. (June 15, 2024). What happens to gifted children? Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/13/opinion/gifted-children-intelligence.html
• Burks, B. S., Jensen, D. W., & Terman, L. M. [in association with additional three: The second: Helen Marshall, the third – Melita Oden] (1930). Genetic studies of genius, Vol. III: The promise of youth. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press. Retrieved from https://digital.library.cornell.edu/catalog/hearth4216772_321
• Cherry, K. (July 25, 2023). How Lewis Terman influenced the field of psychology. Retrieved from https://www.verywellmind.com/lewis-terman-biography-2795523#:~:text=In%201921%2C%20Terman%20began%20his,socially%20adapted%20than%20other%20kids.
• Cox, C. M. [in association with Lela O. Gillan, Ruth Haines Livesay, Lewis M. Terman.] (1926). Genetic studies of genius, Vol. II: The Early Mental Traits of Three Hundred Geniuses. Stanford: Stanford UP. Retrieved from https://digital.library.cornell.edu/catalog/hearth4216772_320
• David, H. (2018). 4.5-5.5-Year-old Gifted Students: Findings from the 2004 Cohort. Scholarly Journal of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, 1(4), 75-81. DOI: 10.32474/SJPBS.2018.01.000117
• David, H. (2023). Should we continue to use the term "giftedness"? Australasian Journal of Gifted Education, 32(1), 28-32. 10.21505/ajge.2023.0004
• David, H. & Landau, E. (2006). The first-born and the single gifted child: Findings in three-decade cohorts. Australasian Journal of Gifted Education, 15(2), 27-31.
• David, H. (2008a). Mathematical Giftedness: The Mathematics Acceleration Program at the Tel Aviv University. Gifted Education Press Quarterly, 22(3), 4-9.
• David, H. (2008b). The Mathematics Acceleration Program of the Tel Aviv University (1970-1999). In R. Leikin (ed.), Proceedings of The 5th International Conference Creativity in Mathematics and the Education of Gifted Students (pp. 427-429). Haifa, Israel, February 24-28, 2008.
• David, H. (August 8, 2013). About Dr. Erika Landau, the great woman who has just passed away (in Hebrew). Retrieved from https://www.hebpsy.net/blog_Post.asp?id=1041
• David, H. (2014a). Diagnosis of the gifted in Israel. Gifted Education International, 30(1), 57-60. https://doi.org/10.1177/0261429413485393
• David, H. (2014b). Why is diagnosing the gifted in Israel so problematic? On the problems of diagnosing gifted children and the difficulties in de-ciphering such diagnoses. Australasian Journal of Gifted Education, 23(1), 49-58.
• David, H. (2016). Diagnostic et enseignement pour les enfants hp: l'exemple d'Israël. Revue économique et sociale, 74(4), 103-112 [English version: Diagnosing and schooling of gifted children: The example of Israel].
• David, H. (2019). Teaching Mathematically Gifted Students in Israel: The State of the Art. Journal for the Education of Gifted Young Scientists, 7(1), 57-69. http://doi.org/10.17478/jegys.466451
• David, H. (2023a). The failure of gifted education in Israel. Journal of Gifted Education and Creativity (JGEDC), 10(2), 125-139.
• David, H. (2023b). Against the term "creativity studies": Mathematical creativity examples. Journal of Tourism & Sports Management, 5(3), 1712-1718.
• The Erika Landau Institute's team (2024). Retrieved from https://ypipce.org.il/?page_id=9435 The Erika Landau Institute of Creativity and Excellence, founded by Erika Landau (NPO) (2024). Retrieved from https://www.checkid.co.il/company/epWVKQj-580022960
• Figg, S. D., Rogers, K. B., McCormick, J., & Low, R. (2012). Differentiating Low Performance of the Gifted Learner. Journal of Advanced Academics, 23(1), 53-71. https://doi.org/10.1177/1932202X11430000
• Freeman, J. (2008). The emotional development of the gifted and talented. Conference proceedings. Gifted and Talented Provision, London: Optimus Educational.
• Freeman, J. (2013). The long-term effects of families and educational provision on gifted children. Educational and Child Psychology, 30(2), 7-17. https://doi.org/10.53841/bpsecp.2013.30.2.7
• Goleman, D. (March 7, 1995). 75 Years Later, Study Still Tracking Geniuses. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/1995/03/07/science/75-years-later-study-still-tracking-geniuses.html#:~:text=Terman%2C%20a%20Stanford%20University%20psychologist,test%2C%20the%20Stanford%2DBinet
• Goodenough, F. L. (1926a). Measurement of intelligence by drawings. Yonkers-on-Hudson, NY: World Book.
• Goodenough, F. L. (1926b). New approach to measurement of intelligence of young children. Journal of Genetic Psychology, 33(2), 185–211. https://doi.org/10.1080/08856559.1926.10532353
• Goodenough, F. L. (1926c). Racial differences in the intelligence of school children. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 9(5), 388–397. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0073325
• Goodenough, F. L. (1929). The relation of the intelligence of preschool children to the occupation of their fathers. American Journal of Psychology, 40, 284–294.
• Goodenough, F. L. (1931). Anger in young children. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.
• Goodenough, F. L. (1934). Developmental psychology: An introduction to the study of human behavior. New York: D. Appleton-Century.
• Goodenough, F. L. (1938). The use of pronouns by young children: A note on the development of self-awareness. Journal of Genetic Psychology, 52(2), 333–346.
• Goodenough, F. L. (1939). Look to the evidence! A critique of recent experiments on raising the IQ. Educational Method, 19, 73–79.
• Goodenough, F. L. (1940). New evidence on environmental influence on intelligence. In G. M. Whipple (Ed.), The thirty-ninth yearbook of the National Society for the Study of Education, intelligence: Its nature and nurture, Pt. I Original studies and experiments (pp. 307–365). Bloomington, IL: Public School Publishing.
• Goodenough, F. L. (1949). Mental testing. New York: Rinehart & Co.
• Goodenough, F. L. (1956). Exceptional children. New York: Appleton-Century-Croft.
• Goodenough, F. L. (1959). Developmental psychology. New York: Appleton -Century-Croft.
• Goodenough, F. L., & Anderson, J. E. (1931). Experimental child study. New York: The Century.
• Goodenough, F. L., & Harris, D. B. (1950). Studies in the psychology of children's drawings: II 1928–1949. Psychological Bulletin, 369–433.
• Gottfried, A. E., Gottfried, A. W., Bathurst, K., & Guerin, D. W. (1994). Gifted IQ: Early developmental aspects. The Fullerton Longitudinal Study. New York: Plenum Press.
• Gottfried A. E., Gottfried A. W. (1996). A longitudinal study of academic intrinsic motivation in intellectually gifted children: Childhood Through Early Adolescence. Gifted Child Quarterly, 40(4), 179-183. https://doi.org/10.1177/001698629604000402
• Gottfried A. W., Cook C. R., Gottfried A. E., Morris P. E. (2005). Educational characteristics of adolescents with gifted academic intrinsic motivation: A longitudinal investigation from school entry through early adulthood. Gifted Child Quarterly, 49(2), 172-185. DOI: 10.1177/001698620504900206
• Gottfried, A. E., Gottfried, A. W., & Guerin, D. E. (2006). The Fullerton Longitudinal Study a long-term investigation of intellectual and motivational giftedness. Journal for the Education of the Gifted, 29(4), 430-450. https://doi.org/10.4219/jeg-2006-244
• Gottfried, A. E., Gottfried, A. W., Reichard, R. J., Guerin, D. W., Oliver, P. H., & Riggio, R. E. (2011). Motivational roots of leadership: A longitudinal study from childhood through adulthood. The Leadership Quarterly, 22(3), 510-519. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2011.04.008
• Gross, M. U. M. (2004). Exceptionally gifted children (2nd ed.). London: RoutledgeFalmer.
• Gross, M. U. M. (2006). Exceptionally Gifted Children: Long-Term Outcomes of Academic Acceleration and Nonacceleration. Journal for the Education of the Gifted, 29(4), 404-429. https://doi.org/10.4219/jeg-2006-247
• Grusec, J. E. (1992). Social learning theory and developmental psychology: The legacies of Robert Sears and Albert Bandura. Developmental Psychology, 28(5), 776–786. https://doi.org/10.1037/0012-1649.28.5.776
• Guerin, D. W., & Gottfried, A. W. (1994). Developmental stability and change in parent reports of temperament: A ten-year longitudinal investigation from infancy through preadolescence. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 40, 334–355.
• Guerin, D. W., Gottfried, A. W., Oliver, P. H., & Thomas, C. W. (2003). Temperament: Infancy through adolescence. New York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum.
• Gupta, A. (September 24, 2022). The tangling tale of Terman's Termites. The story behind one of psychology's greatest studies. https://psychologywitharjun.substack.com/p/the-tangling-tale-of-termans-termites
• Hai, S. [August 5, 2013]. The mother of all the gifted, Dr. Erika Landau, died (in Hebrew). Retrieved from https://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-4414041,00.html
• Harris, D. B. (1963). Children's drawings as measures of intellectual maturity. A revision and extension of the Goodenough Draw-A-Man Test. New York: Harcourt, Brace, and World.
• Heller, E. (2015). Editor's preface (in Hebrew). Kolot, 10 [Voices: Journal of Educational and Social Issues].
• Hilgard, E. R. (1957). Lewis Madison Terman: 1877-1956. American Journal of Psychology, 70(3), 472-479.
• Hodges, J., Mun, R. U., & Johnson, R. (2021). Lewis Terman in context: An analysis of citations of Genetic Studies of Genius inside and outside the field of gifted education. Journal for the Education of the Gifted, 44(3), 227-259. https://doi.org/10.1177/01623532211023596
• Hodges, J., Mun, R. U., E. Oveross, M., & K. Ottwein, J. (2021). Assessing the Scholarly Reach of Terman's Work. Gifted Child Quarterly, 65(1), 95-109. https://doi.org/10.1177/0016986220928322
• Holahan, C. K. (2021). Achievement across the life span: Perspectives from the Terman Study of the Gifted. Gifted Child Quarterly, 65(2), 185-195. https://doi.org/10.1177/0016986220934401
• Janos, P. (1987). A fifty-year-follow-up of Terman's youngest college students and IQ-matched age mates. Gifted Child Quarterly, 31(2), 55-58. https://doi.org/10.1177/001698628703100202
• Jolly, J. L. (2005). Pioneering Definitions and Theoretical Positions in the Field of Gifted. Historical Perspectives, 28(3), 38-44. Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ694020.pdf
• Jolly, J. L. (2006). Historical perspectives: Curriculum for the gifted student: Lulu Stedman's contributions. Gifted Child Today, 29(1), 49-53. https://doi.org/10.4219/gct-2006-188
• Jolly, J. L. (2008). Historical Perspectives: A Paradoxical Point of View: Lewis M. Terman. Gifted Child Today, 31(2), 36-37. https://doi.org/10.4219/gct-2008-757
• Jolly, J. L. (2010). Florence L. Goodenough: Portrait of a Psychologist. Roeper Review, 32(2), 98-105. https://doi.org/10.1080/02783191003587884
• Kaufman, S. B. (September 9, 2009). The Truth About the "Termites". What do the results of Lewis Terman's famous study really demonstrate? Psychology Today. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/beautiful-minds/200909/the-truth-about-the-termites
• Kern, M. L., Hampson, S. E., Goldberg, L. R., & Friedman, H. S. (2014). Integrating prospective longitudinal data: Modeling personality and health in the Terman Life Cycle and Hawaii Longitudinal Studies. Developmental Psychology, 50(5), 1390-1406. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0030874 1,528 participants (856 males [M], 672 females [F]).
• Kerr, B. A. (1994). Smart girls two: A new psychology of girls, women, and giftedness (Rev. & enl.). Ohio Psychology Press.
• Landau, E. (1969/1971/1974). Psychologie der Kreativität (Psychology of creativity). München-Basel: Reinhardt. Translated into 12 languages.
• Landau, E. (1974). Father died, or facing the experience of death (in Hebrew) Tel Aviv, Israel: Bezal'el Cherikover Publishing House.
• Landau, E. (1976). Children ask questions about the future of humankind. In Gibson, J., and Channels, P. (Eds.), Gifted children: Looking to their future. London: Latimer.
• Landau, E. (1979a). Parents and their gifted child (in Hebrew). Tel Aviv, Israel: The Young Persons' Institute for the Promotion of Art and Science, Haaretz Museum.
• Landau, E. (1979b). The Young Persons' Institute for the Promotion of Art and Science. In J. Gallagher (Ed.), Gifted children are reaching their potential (pp. 347-363). Jerusalem: Kolleck & Son.
• Landau, E. (1981). The profile of the gifted child. In Kraner, A. (Ed.), Gifted children – Challenging their potential: New perspectives and alternatives (pp. 21-32). New York: Trillium Press.
• Landau, E. (1984). Kreatives Erleben. München-Basel: Reinhardt.
• Landau, E. (1987). The questions children ask. Gifted and Talented International, 4(2), 102-109. https://doi.org/10.1080/15332276.1987.11672726
• Landau, E. (1990). The courage to be gifted. Unionville, NY: Trillium.
• Landau, R. (1997). Emotional Maturity (in Hebrew). Tel Aviv, Israel: Miskal.
• Landau, E. (1998). The Self – The global factor of emotional maturity. Roeper Review, 20(3), 174-178. https://doi.org/10.1080/02783199809553886
• Landau, E. (2000). To give a meaning. Memories from childhood and the holocaust (in Hebrew). Bnei Brak, Israel: Hakibbutz Hameuchad Publishing House.
• Landau, E. (2001). The courage to be gifted. Unionville, NY Trillium Press.
• Landau, E., & Weissler, K. (1991). Tracing leadership in gifted children. The Journal of Psychology, 125(6), 681-688. https://doi.org/10.1080/00223980.1991.10543331
• Landau, E., & Weissler, K. (1993). Parental environment in families with gifted and nongifted children. The Journal of Psychology: Interdisciplinary and Applied, 127(2), 129–142. https://doi.org/10.1080/00223980.1993.9915549
• Landau, E., & Weissler, K. (1998). The Relationship between Emotional Maturity, Intelligence and Creativity in Gifted Children. Gifted Education International, 13(2), 100-105. https://doi.org/10.1177/026142949801300202
• Landau, E., Weissler, K., & Golod, G. (1996). Motivation and Giftedness. Gifted Education International, 11(3), 139-142. https://doi.org/10.1177/026142949601100306
• Landau, E., Weissler, K., & Golod, G. (2001). Impact of an Enrichment Program on Intelligence, by Sex, Among Low SES Population in Israel. Gifted Education International, 15(2), 207-214. https://doi.org/10.1177/026142940101500211
• Landau, E., & David, H. (2005a). Characteristics of gifted students: Age and Gender. Findings from three decades. Gifted Education International, 20(2), 28-44. https://doi.org/10.1177/026142940502000206
• Landau, E. & David, H. (2005b). Who will be the gifted of the future? Gifted Education International, 20(3), 343-347. https://doi.org/10.1177/026142940502000308
• Leslie, M. (July/August 2000). A tale of Two Termites. Retrieved from Stanford Magazine https://stanfordmag.org/contents/a-tale-of-two-termites
• Leslie, M. (July/August 2000). The vexing legacy of Lewis Terman. Retrieved from https://stanfordmag.org/contents/the-vexing-legacy-of-lewis-terman (n.a.). (2013). The life story of the late Dr. Erika Landau. Retrieved from https://ypipce.org.il/?page_id=27
• Long, L. C., Barnett, K. J., & Rogers, K. B. (2015). Exploring the Relationship Between Principal, Policy, and Gifted Program Scope and Quality. Journal for the Education of the Gifted, 38(2). https://doi.org/10.1177/0162353215578279
• Minton, H. L. (1988). Lewis M. Terman: Pioneer in psychological testing. New York: New York Press.
• Oden, M. H. (1968). The fulfilment of promise: 40-Year follow-up of the Terman gifted group. Genetic Psychology Monographs, 77(1), 3-93. Retrieved from https://gwern.net/doc/iq/high/1968-oden.pdf
• Paddock, R. C. (July 30, 1995). The Secret IQ Diaries: They Were Guinea Pigs in the Longest-Running Psychological Study Ever, Their Identities Largely Kept a Mystery. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved from https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-07-30-tm-29325-story.html
• Polotzky, L. (1989). Differences between boys and girls in the results of identification for giftedness examinations. In: Identifying and nurturing the gifted (pp. 18-30) (in Hebrew). Jerusalem: The Henrietta Szold Institute.
• Reichenberg, A., Landau, E. (2009). Families of Gifted Children. In: Shavinina, L. V. (Eds.) International Handbook on Giftedness (pp. 873-883). Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-6162-2_43 [
• Rogers, A. L., Durling, D., & McBride, K. (1928). The constancy of the IQ and the training of examiners. Journal of Educational Psychology, 19, 257-262.
• Rogers, K. B. (1989). A Content Analysis of the Literature on Giftedness. Journal for the Education of the Gifted, 13(1), 78-88. https://doi.org/10.1177/016235328901300106
• Rogers, K. A. (1999). The lifelong productivity of the female researchers in Terman's Genetic Studies of Genius Longitudinal Study. Gifted Child Quarterly, 43(3), 150-169.
• Rogers, K. B. (2007). Lessons Learned About Educating the Gifted and Talented: A Synthesis of the Research on Educational Practice. Gifted Child Quarterly, 51(4), 382-396. https://doi.org/10.1177/0016986207306324
• Seagoe, M. V. (1975). Terman and the gifted. Los Altos, CA: W. Kaufmann.
• Shurkin, J. N. (1992). The groundbreaking study of how the gifted grow up. Boston, MA: Little, Brown, and Company.
• Silverman, L. K. (1995) (Ed.). Advanced development: A collection of works on giftedness in adults. Denver, CO: Institute for the Study of Advanced Development.
• Silverman, L. K. (1993) (Ed.). Counseling the gifted and talented. Denver, CO: Love.
• Silverman, L. K. (2019). The 40th Anniversary of Gifted Development Center (cover story), by Lynn Ashley Sowell. Legacy Lifestyle, 2019 (June), pp. 8-9
• Simonton, D. K. (2019). A publication missing from Lewis M. Terman's CV? Ralph K. White's 1931 "The versatility of genius". History of Psychology, 22(4), 372–374. https://doi.org/10.1037/hop0000135_c
• Stedman, L. M. (1919). An experiment in educational democracy. Sierra Educational News, 15, 515–518.
• Stedman, L. M. (1924). Education of gifted children. Yonkers-On Hudson, NY: World Book Company.
• Terman, L. M. (1924). Section Ii.—Special Studies: THE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL TRAITS OF GIFTED CHILDREN. Teachers College Record, 25(4), 155-167.
• Terman, L. M. [in association with additional 14] (1925). Genetic studies of genius, Vol. I: Mental and physical traits of a thousand gifted children. Stanford: Stanford UP. Retrieved from https://digital.library.cornell.edu/catalog/hearth4216772_319
• Terman, L. M. & Oden, M. H. [in association with 4] (1947). Genetic studies of genius: Vol. IV. The gifted child grows up: Twenty-five years' follow-up of a superior group. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press. Retrieved from https://digital.library.cornell.edu/catalog/hearth4216772_322
• Terman, L. M., & Oden, M. H. (1951). The Stanford studies of the gifted. P. Witty (Ed.), The gifted child (pp. 20-46). Boston, MA: D.C. Heath.
• Terman, L. M. (1953). Scientists and Nonscientists in a Group of 800 Gifted Men. Psychological Monographs, 68 (7), 1-44. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0093672
• Terman, L. M. (1954). The Discovery and Encouragement of Exceptional Talent. American Psychologist, 9, 221-230. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0060516
• Terman, L. M. & Oden, M. H. (1959). Genetic studies of genius: Vol. V. The Gifted Group at Mid-life: Thirty-five years' follow-up of the superior child. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press. Retrieved from https://digital.library.cornell.edu/catalog/hearth4216772_323
• Vidergor, H. (2013). A case study of a creative personality. International Journal for Talent Development and Creativity, 1(1), 125-135.
• Vidergor, H. (2014). Erika Landau†: A lifetime of creativity. Gifted Education International, 30(2), 136-147. https://doi.org/10.1177/0261429413481123
• Warne, R. T. (2019). An evaluation (and vindication?) of Lewis Terman: What the father of gifted education can teach the 21st century. Gifted Child Quarterly, 63(1), 3-21. https://doi.org/10.1177/0016986218799433
• Weissler, K., & Landau, E. (1993). Characteristics of families with no, one, or more than one gifted child. The Journal of Psychology, 127(2), 143-152. https://doi.org/10.1080/00223980.1993.9915550
• White, R. K. (1931). The versatility of genius. The Journal of Social Psychology, 2(4), 460–489. http://doi.org/10.1080/00224545.1931.9918987.
• Winkler, D., & Bernel, R. (2020). Terman, Lewis. In Zeigler-Hill, V., & T. K. Shackelford (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences (pp. 5433-5437). Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-28099-8_1018-2
• Winkler, D. L., & Jolly, J. L. (2013). Lewis M. Terman: A misunderstood legacy (1877-1956). In A. Robinson & J. L. Jolly (Eds.), A century of contributions to gifted education: Illuminating lives (pp. 88–102). Routledge.
• Yablonka, H. (2012, January 27). People: The Tapuz forum. Where are all the wealthy, educated holocaust survivors? Why are they hidden? (in Hebrew). Retrieved from https://www.tapuz.co.il/threads/15548898